Latina superstar Thalía's empire goes beyond music and telenovelas

Thalía and husband Tommy Mottola recently celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary — yes, 18! The pair tied the knot on Dec. 2, 2000, and have two kids together. The famous mom and wife has made her family a top priority, but let’s not forget the Mexican-born actress, singer, producer and entrepreneur is an international superstar.

Tommy Mottola and Thalia on Dec. 2, 2000, leaving St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City after their wedding ceremony. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thalía’s career began when she was just a year old. A tiny Thalía appeared in her first Mexican TV commercial. She would return to TV, but first came music. At 14, she joined the popular Spanish-language singing group Timbiriche. Three years and four albums later, she left Timbiriche to make her mark in telenovelas. Some of her most memorable characters include Maria Mercedes, Marimar and Maria la del Barrio. Mexican media company Televisa, which produced several of her super-popular soaps, named her the best-paid telenovela actress in history — wow! Her telenovelas have been seen by an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. “I’ve made it in so many countries, and I know I can keep counting on my people,” she told Time.

Let’s not forget she’s also an icon in the music world. She has sold over 50 million records, has 14 albums under her belt and has won more than 60 awards, including five Billboard Latin Music Awards. The Queen of Latin Pop, as she is often referred to, released her most recent album, Valiente (“Brave”), in November. The music video for the single “No me acuerdo” (“I don’t remember”) has close to 600 million views on YouTube and is projected to hit the 1 billion mark.

In 2013, Thalía was recognized for her incredible success with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Since then, she’s added author and fashion designer to her list of accomplishments. She has teamed up with Macy’s and launched her line of apparel, shoes and jewelry appropriately titled the Thalia Sodi Collection. “This was a big effort to create this amazing collection for the Latinas out there,” she told InStyle.

“We need to show the positive side of humanity. That’s why I always emphasize the good side of life, whether it’s in my collection, my music or even my Instagram. It’s my motto.”